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Seeds To Save Lives From Starvation Caused By The Flood
My heart is absolutely shattered as I write this to you.
I just learned about a mother named Sofia from Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya…
And I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her.
She’s a mom of five with a physical disability that makes even walking painful.
Yet every day….she pushes through that pain…
To work on other people’s farms… just to feed her kids.
"It is such a challenge to do farm work because of my leg; even walking can be challenging."
She says.
Sofia also tries to grow her own small crops…mung beans and black-eyed peas…
To feed her family.
But right now… Kenya is experiencing its worst drought in over 40 years.
In fact, the people of Kenya are experiencing a season of barely surviving.
But what breaks my heart most is what's happening to Sofia's children.
The river near their home…where they used to collect water just a few minutes' walk away…
Has completely dried up.
Gone.
Now, Sofia's children have to walk for more than 2 hours each way just to find water.
"I can't carry water myself. I rely on my children to go look for water."
Sofia says.
Can you imagine that?
As a mother with a disability…
She has to watch her children…some still so young…walk for hours under the brutal sun…
Carrying heavy containers of water on their small shoulders…
…Instead of being in school.
…Instead of playing.
…Instead of just being kids.
Sofia's family has been missing out on up to two meals every day.
They've survived by borrowing food from neighbors who have almost nothing themselves…
But some days, there is simply nothing to be shared.
Sofia said with tears welling in her eyes…
"This is leading us to famine. We wake up hungry. It is difficult for me because I can't find anything to eat for my children or myself…"
Then she said something that absolutely pierces my soul:
"If the drought continues, it will be very hard for our community. It will be indescribable."
Indescribable.
I had to stop reading when I got to that word.
Because I've BEEN to Kenya, I've SEEN what "indescribable" looks like.
And the thought of Sofia and her precious children facing that… it's almost too much to bear.
I've been supporting communities in Kenya since 2011…
And when I was last in Kenya with my mom, dad, and Nathan Crane…
The scenes we witnessed changed us forever.
My 71-year-old mother still hasn't fully recovered from watching children desperately grab at fruit from her hands…
…their hunger so intense that they risked trampling each other for a single orange.
That's why Sofia's story hits me so hard.
Because I know…I've witnessed firsthand…what happens when families like hers don't get help in time.
And just a few days ago…
I received a message that confirmed my worst fears.
My good friend William, who is on the ground right now, reached out to me.
This man is one of the most selfless people I know.
He's currently housing 27 families in his own home because they have nowhere else to go.
But even William is overwhelmed by what's happening right now.
He wrote to me this morning:
"The situation is getting worse back here. People are starving, and I am afraid we will start burying some."
I had to read that line twice.
We will start burying some.
County employees in Kenya haven't been paid for 6 months.
That means there's no money in circulation…
No teachers being paid…
No healthcare workers…
No agricultural officers…
The entire support system has collapsed.
William himself has gone 8 months without a salary.
When he finally received payment for just 2 months of work…
He used every. single. shilling he received to buy food for 210 families.
He also wrote to me:
"I am spending every coin I get from my 2 months' salary (I was paid for 2 months) and the harvest from our two farms on starving people as well as buying seeds."
Even William…who gives everything he has…can't keep up with the overwhelming need.
This is the worst it's been in over 40 years.
And people with disabilities…like Sofia…are among those at greatest risk.
But here's what gives me hope:
I've witnessed the INCREDIBLE power of compassionate support.
I've seen families transform their lives when given the right tools and resources.
We can do this for families like Sofia’s.
We can change their story.
Here's how your support translates into real, tangible help:
- $50 provides emergency food supplies for one family for two weeks.
- $85 supplies water harvesting materials so families can collect rainwater near their homes.
- $120 gives a family drought-resistant seeds that can survive harsh conditions.
- $200 provides adaptive farming tools and equipment for people with disabilities.
- $350 supports one family with comprehensive assistance (seeds, tools, water systems, and emergency food).
- $500 helps two families establish sustainable food production.
- $1,000 transforms the lives of three families, giving them everything they need to weather this crisis.
And here’s something important for you to know…
I'm matching 100% of the donations to double our gift.
That means that every $1 you give becomes $2 of life-saving support on the ground.
Every. Single. Dollar goes directly to the communities in need.
William personally oversees the distribution of every resource.
But I need you to understand:
We don’t have weeks or months to help… we have DAYS.
Every moment we delay could mean another child goes without food.
Another family misses a critical meal.
Another mother, like Sofia sits helpless, waiting for her children to return from a 4-hour walk just to drink water.
As a father myself…
I cannot stop thinking about Sofia watching her children walk for hours to bring back water…
And feeling helpless because her disability limits what she can do.
But I know we can help change her story.
Over the past 15 years, we've saved lives and given families a future.
But we can't stop now.
Thank you for standing with these resilient, beautiful people.
Your compassion makes all the difference.